More than 3,400 bicycles have been recorded as stolen in Norfolk since 2016.

More than 3,400 bicycles have been recorded as stolen in Norfolk since 2016. Photo:Antony Kelly

New figures reveal the equivalent of four bikes were taken every day across Norfolk in the past two-and-a-half years.

Based on an average cost of £480 per bike, a total of £1.7m-worth have been stolen since January 2016 to July 11, 2018.

Figures from Norfolk Police show Norwich is the county’s hot spot for bike crime, with 802 thefts reported in 2017.

Meanwhile, King’s Lynn has seen the biggest spike in offences, rising from 178 thefts in 2016 to 248 last year.

Norfolk Police said they were doing everything they could to trace stolen bikes and catch those responsible for stealing them.

But chief inspector Lynne Cross said cycle theft continued to be an issue in Norwich.

Chris Read, who runs a Facebook page for people to report stolen items in Great Yarmouth, said the figures were “not surprising”.

The 43-year-old said his teenage son’s bike was stolen from outside Lidl in Southtown, Great Yarmouth, on July 10.

He said: “Based on what I have seen before the police do not seem interested at all.

“It took me four days to get a crime number and then a week later we got an email back saying the incident had been filed.”

Mr Read believed the actual bike theft figure could be much higher, claiming not everyone reported it to police.

He said: “The Facebook page I run is for people to report all sorts of stolen items, but push bikes make up the majority.

“Everyday we are getting new reports in. I thought the figure would be much higher.”

Police figures show the number of recorded crimes for bike theft increased by 4pc between 2016 and 2017 in Norwich.

But from January to July 11 this year there has been just 290 offences, indicating a possible decline.

Overall in Norfolk, there were 1,473 reports of bike theft in 2017, up from 1,401 in 2016.

Chief Insp Lynne Cross said: “Cycle theft continues to be an issue in the city.

“However, a combination of working with partners, including Norwich City Council, Norwich BID [Business Improvement District] and the cycling community will ensure we can impact the ease with which cycles are obtained.

More than 3,400 bicycles have been recorded as stolen in Norfolk since 2016. Photo: Bill Smith

“We would ask people to be vigilant and report suspicious activity.

“The police response to thefts of cycles across Norwich over the last 18 months has already significantly impacted the number of cycles being stolen.

“The issue for police continues to be the ability to return property when found.”

A police spokesman said if there were lines of enquiry the incident would be investigated.

However, the spokesman said if a bike was found it could be difficult to locate the owner.

“We actively encourage people to register their bikes on Bike Register,” the police spokesman said.

“Individuals can do this themselves by accessing the Bike Register website or by attending one of our advertised cycle marking events.

“These are held at various locations throughout the county.”

According to the charity Cycling UK, the average price of a bike is around £480. But many cycles can now cost in excess of £2,000.

City councillor Mike Stonard said his £700 bike was taken from outside the Forum on May 16 this year.
Picture: DENISE BRADLEY

City councillor Mike Stonard said his £700 bike was taken from outside the Forum on May 16 this year.

But he had it returned last week after it was picked up by a pawnbroker on St Benedicts Street.

The Labour councillor said: “It was a nice bike and was only a couple of years old. But they [thieves] broke the lock and took it.

“I initially looked on websites like Gumtree and everyone said you will never see it again.

“But I got the frame number and went to a pawnbroker on Benedicts Street, and the bike did come in.

“They then contacted police and I got it back last week.”

He recommended people to get their bike frames recorded online and to invest in a good lock.

The free classified advert website Gumtree has become a popular platform for selling and buying bikes online.

A spokesman for the company said: “We do not tolerate the listing of stolen bikes on our platform and have measures in place to ensure that Gumtree is a safe place to buy bikes and accessories.

Alex Siemons, 20, from Aylsham Road, said: “I feel if I keep mine [my bike] looking as shabby as it does it won’t be appealing to anyone but you never know. Photo: Ben Turner

“We encourage users to report anything suspicious to us through the ‘report’ button that sits alongside every ad on the website.

“Our dedicated safety team will then investigate.

“When searching for a bike on Gumtree, we recommend asking the seller for the frame number or registration number which can then be verified through websites such as Bike Register.”

What the figures show

Police figures show the overall number of recorded bike thefts in Norfolk increased between 2016 and 2017 from 1,401 to 1,473.

But While Norwich, King’s Lynn and North Norfolk saw a rise, the figures fell elsewhere in the county.

The figures show that between 2016 and 2017, recorded bike thefts fell from: